Self appointed BJJ Blackbelt?

**holycrap** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:19am

no i am not say it is ok.. i dont realy know what to think at this point.. what i can say is that i have only trained under him and have been to other schools and did well... ya know

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:36am

Originally Posted by holycrap

oh guys,, i am not complaining or mad.

Your third post was complaining about moderation, deletion, and your lack of understanding the rules. Yes, those are complaints.

just posted i am student of scotts so if any one wanted to ask me a question they could.

If you did post this there would have been no issues. You didn't so your new point is irrelevant.

again if there you want to find out if we are legit come down

Why? The question was if his Black Belt was self awarded. You answered Yes.

He very well may have BB level skill and that is not the question.

othere wise let it go already.

How about you let go of the whole "come to my school and roll to see if he is legit" thread drift? It has no bearing on his self awarded Black Belt.

**holycrap** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:40am

i am not a good keyboard warrior... sorry .. it does have bearing on people asking if his students are legit ?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:47am

I always love when posters say this:

i am not a mamber of any forum or plan to stay at this one.

Then they immediately start using internet specific forum lingo like this:

Originally Posted by holycrap

i am not a good keyboard warrior... sorry

.. it does have bearing on people asking if his students are legit ?

If he self awarded himself your ranks are not legit in BJJ. So the strawman you are creating is legitimate on the mat skill vs legit BJJ rank. They are totally separate issues. You can be skilled at grappling and have BS rank in BJJ. You can be skilled in grappling and have no rank in BJJ and still be legit. It has happened and there are multiple threads on bullshido about this phenomena.

**holycrap** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:50am

so i am not a purple belt .. but i can grapple?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 11:59am

Originally Posted by holycrap

so i am not a purple belt .. but i can grapple?

Let the strawman go it is a non-issue. You are angry because you can't separate rank from skill. Sambo Stylists can grapple and have no BJJ ranks. Wrestlers competed in MMA and they have no BJJ rank.
Are you really going to play this game? If you need help understanding the issue ask.

Originally Posted by jnp

It's also completely irrelevant to the discussion at hand. We are discussing whether Mr. Lewis has the right to represent himself as a black belt in BJJ.

Originally Posted by BobbyG

For the record, I was not questioning his or his students ability. I was questioning his self promotion. I think its a little decieving for potential students to claim a BB in BJJ when that BB is self appointed.

Does anyone know how to reach out to Ryron Gracie and get his opinion on the matter?

Originally Posted by BobbyG

I did not question if he was a good competitor. I question his BB status in the eyes of the BJJ community. I think it's a lil decieving to potential students to claim a BB in BJJ, which is prestigous in my eyes, if it was not awarded to you by another BB.

Does anyone know how to reach out to Ryron Gracie on this matter?

Originally Posted by FinalLegion

No one here is questioning how likable or personable Scott is. They are questioning whether or not his Black Belt in BJJ is legit or is it self-appointed, as the evidence, so far, seems to indicate. If Scott decided for himself that he had been training long enough and was good enough to have a Black Belt...and then simply awarded one to himself then that undercuts the very principle and ideal of being a student. If everyone was left to their own devices in this respect, then everyone would be a Black Belt whenever they personally felt they deserved it. If it's left in the hands of the students, what's the point of belt tests at all?

If Scott did promote himself to Black Belt, he owes it to every student he teaches to let them in on that truth. We all know that students tend to gravitate towards instructors that have high ranks; I mean, if we're confronted with two potential teachers in BJJ, one with a Purple Belt, the other with a Black Belt, who do you think the student will choose?

Originally Posted by Uncle Skippy

So, not only does it appear that he did rank himself, but when asked simple questions about his training history in a VERY non-confrontational manner, he lets his friend and current instructor be the one to speak for him.

Notice YOUR COACH'S SELF AWARDED RANKS were questioned not his, your, or any other students skill.

**holycrap** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 12:08pm

my head is still spinning from this.. i just found this out yesterday.... i dont know what to think at this point... if you were me what would you do?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 12:11pm

I was you in a different art. I just researched, read, LISTENED, and understood the argument before running my mouth. I didn't attack the people providing the information nor did I get in an argument when I was wrong.

**holycrap** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 12:16pm

running my mouth? guy your misunderstaning me.. i am saying what would you do at this point .. this is my last post.. i seem to be coming across wrong..

***jnp*** · Posted On: 10/16/2011 12:18pm

Originally Posted by holycrap

my head is still spinning from this.. i just found this out yesterday.... i dont know what to think at this point... if you were me what would you do?

First, I would decide whether rank under a legitimate BJJ instructor was important to me. If it was, then I would seek training elsewhere. If it wasn't, then I would decide whether I wanted to train under a man who has misrepresented himself to the community and to his students.

It's all good that Mr. Lewis is coming clean about his rank now, but if he had never let people think he had a black belt in BJJ he wouldn't be in the position he is now. He is, at the minimum, guilty of lying by omission.